Sacrifice
by fowl68
Summary: The phantoms of the war still plagued their minds, the colors of the world limited to crimson, darkest black and flashes of steel.


_**Sacrifice**_

**Disclaimer:** Don't own! The song is My Sacrifice by Creed.

**Author's Note:** I love this song! And I can't wait for Nickelback's concert down here on the 26th! As for the inspiration on this one…I'm not totally sure where it came from. I was listening to the song while practicing piano and it appeared in my head.

-~-~-~-~

"_Ah, but isn't that the way of it? Things slip from your fingers and when they're gone, you regret it. But gone is gone." –Hood__** (Thief of Always)**_

-~-~-~-~

_Hello my friend, we meet again _

_It's been awhile, where should we begin? _

_Feels like forever _

What gods up there liked to toy with their lives so much that they had chosen that both of them should run under the same awning to hide from the downpour? Neither of them had realized it at first, but the instant they looked up, cerulean meeting onyx, and they'd recognized each other.

Even though the years had stretched through them—Gods, how old were they now? It seemed like forever since the last time they'd seen a bright red circle around a date with a smiley face beside it to remind them; since anyone had murmured 'Happy birthday' to them—something about them remained the same. Perhaps not the eyes, for they were weighed down by memories that were given substance the instant they were remembered, but some line of the jaw, or perhaps the body language. Or maybe it was the slight smile that quirked both of their lips at the sight of each other.

_Within my heart are memories _

_Of perfect love that you gave to me _

_Oh, I remember _

They were both soaked, strands of hair plastered to their faces, clothes sticking to the contours of their bodies. Why was it that the sky always deemed it right to rain when they met? The blonde's eyes were drawn to the triangle of pale chest revealed by the first few undone buttons and the thin silver chain from which a small gold-crafted sun hung.

The brunette saw the gold chain around the other's throat and knew that a silver-lined moon, along with the bottle green jewel, hung from it as well. He could remember the day, though not the date, when they'd bought those. It had been sunny during the morning before getting overcast and they'd been some of the handful of people still walking around after it had rained for about twenty minutes. It was one of the last, good memories they both shared before the war had begun.

_When you are with me, I'm free _

_I'm careless, I believe _

_Above all the others we'll fly _

_This brings tears to my eyes _

_My sacrifice _

Both hearts clenched at the memories of the war. The final, bloodstained smiles of comrades, the peace-filled eye of their sensei, the other having darkened until it looked like a starless night; the tense nights when no one could sleep because they feared an ambush, the way that tension would relax the few times they could find each other. They had no need to be worried or anxious if their other half was nearby, after all.

_We've seen our share of ups and downs _

_Oh how quickly life can turn around _

_In an instant_

The survivors of the war had had the most tiring mixture of emotions inside them. There had been relief at surviving, sorrow for those not there sharing that triumphant moment with them, and then the triumphant moment was snatched away when they returned to the village to find nothing more than shambles left.

_It feels so good to reunite _

_Within yourself and within your mind _

_Let's find peace there _

After that, no one had known where the others had gone. Everyone drifted away from the enormous clearing where a proud village had once stood. But all that was left of said village were the haunted eyes of their comrades and their reflections and the ghosts of times long since passed.

"Has anything changed?" The blonde murmured, voice hoarse from disuse. There had been no one to talk to on the lonely roads.

The other shook his head ever so slightly. "No. But I heard through the grapevine that Kiba's dead."

Another reminder of what had been, another clench of the heart. "Killed or…"

"No one knows. They just found his dog tags and you know he wouldn't simply throw those away."

Yes, he did know that. None of them would throw those away. It was the only proof that any of the memories had been real, not simply a fabrication. The blonde still had his own dog tags, stuffed in his pocket, taken out every night and turned over and over in battle-scarred hands until he knew every crevice and niche by touch.

Neither of them said another word, but they leaned against each other, shoulder to shoulder, and watched the rain fall. It was their first moment of peace in uncounted years.

_When you are with me, I'm free _

_I'm careless, I believe _

_Above all the others we'll fly _

_This brings tears to my eyes _

_My sacrifice _

The blonde dozed a bit, not truly sleeping, but it was the closest thing to actual sleep he'd had since the war. None of the survivors would be able to have truly untroubled sleep ever again. The phantoms of the war still plagued their minds, the colors of the world limited to crimson, darkest black and flashes of steel.

The brunette reached a hand up and lightly ran his fingers through the messy locks in an unconscious movement. The movement was familiar, something that had always calmed them both down. Even now, he could still feel a few raised scars beneath all the hair and memories of late night hospital visits flashed through his mind.

_I just want to say hello again _

_I just want to say hello again _

_When you are with me I'm free _

_I'm careless, I believe _

_Above all the others we'll fly _

_This brings tears to my eyes _

The rain began to slow and the blonde shifted on the other's shoulder. The taller of the two knew that he was awake, simply too comfortable for the first time in forever to want to move.

"Will the rain ever stop?"

The brunette knew he didn't mean literally. "I don't think so." It was always raining in their minds, raining and dusk was the eternal time in their minds. Time had seemed to stop ever since the ruins of their village had crumbled away beneath the lightest whisper of wind.

_Cause when you are with me I am free _

_I'm careless, I believe _

_Above all the others we'll fly _

_This brings tears to my eyes _

_My sacrifice, my sacrifice _

But the rain, the literal water droplets that they could feel, stopped finally, and the sun peeked out from beneath the clouds, making the brunette's necklace glint and shimmer. Reluctantly, they took their weight off of each other, standing upright as much as they could. Sometimes their legs didn't quite want to work right and would spasm from the remembered injuries, but not so in each other's presence. Both faced opposite directions and took perhaps three steps, before the blonde turned.

Hesitatingly, the hoarse voice said. "You know we're going to see each other again."

A smile/smirk twitched on the other's lips. "Is that a promise?"

A true smile lit the other's face. "Of course."

The brunette nodded. "I'll see you then."

_I just want to say hello again _

_I just want to say hello again _

_My sacrifice._


End file.
